After the dust settled for Chris Beard and his coaching circus, he found himself back in Lubbock as the head man leading the Texas Tech Red Raiders forward after the departure of Tubby Smith. But what does Beard need to do in order to be successful in the incredibly difficult Big 12 Conference? We’ve got the five keys to his reign.
- Capitalize on Year 1: Beard is walking into a situation where most of the production from a single-digit seed in the NCAA Tournament is coming back to school, making Texas Tech one of the more balanced teams in the Big 12 next season. Where conference foe Iowa State flopped in first year head coach Steve Prohm’s debut, Beard needs to win immediately to keep the program’s momentum going.
- Hit the JUCOs: Let’s face it, Lubbock isn’t the paradise most elite high school prospects are looking for. However, the program can have a lot of success in recruiting JUCO prospects. With Beard’s success in rebuilding the UALR roster, one has to think he’ll have success with this.
- Coach ‘Em on Up: Recruiting won’t be enough in Lubbock. You’ve got to have superior development to compete against the likes of UT, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Baylor. Can Beard create this kind of atmosphere?
- Stay Out of Trouble: There isn’t a tremendous amount of pressure on coaches at Texas Tech, but a sure fire way to see your own way out is to get caught with your hands in the cookie jar. It can be tempting to take the short way out at a place as tough to recruit to as Tech, but Beard has to stay clean.
- Engage Student Body: Fans in Lubbock will support a winner, as evidenced by this season’s attendance, especially in big games. If Beard can keep his student body engaged with the program, Lubbock could be one of the tougher places to play in the conference.
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